David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966 in Astoria, Queens, New York) is an Emmy-nominated American actor and director for television and film, who gained popularity when playing Dr. Ross Geller on the hugely popular American sitcom Friends.

Born in New York and raised in Los Angeles, Schwimmer was encouraged by a high school instructor to attend a summer program in acting at Northwestern University. Inspired by that experience, he returned to Northwestern where he received a bachelor's degree in speech/theater. In 1988, along with seven other Northwestern graduates, he co-founded Chicago's Looking glass Theatre Company.